The Gaang Means Family
by RogueShadowCrawler
Summary: Twenty drabbles, mainly dialogue, dealing with their lives after the comet. Some Kataang/Sukka/Maiko.


This was one of those "20 randomly generated words" things that kind of mutated into my own canon. Most of it is in all-dialogue because it just seemed to work out that way, so I hope I kept them all IC enough for you to tell who's talking. All canon pairings apply and most of these take place after Sozin's Comet, aside from perhaps #1 and #20 which can fit in pretty much anywhere after Toph joined the group. You'll see a lot of things here that Bryke didn't mention...like, I don't know if Earth Rumble is an annual event, but who cares? I don't know if the Kyoshi Warriors tell ghost stories around the campfire. And I couldn't find any legitimate Pai-Sho rules, so I just made 'em up (I think it's kind of like Chinese checkers). Also, if you can name the Disney movie I got the title from, you win e-cookies. (Hint: It isn't _Lilo & Stitch._)

Disclaimer: The 2nd gen kids and the cranky palace cook - whose name is Gerta. Why? Because - are mine, as is Akira the labrador-bear puppy. Everything else belongs to Bryke. Not Viacom, Bryke. Viacom sucks.

**1.**** Dare **

"I dare you to eat it."

"What are you, nuts?! It's still moving!"

"CHICKEN."

"I'm not chicken, just...careful."

"You're chicken, now eat it!"

"Guys, what are you doing? Sokka...what's that?"

"Nothing! It's definitely not an almost-dead spider-fly Toph dared me to eat, nope!"

"What?! TOPH..."

"Hey, don't look at me, playing Truth or Dare was his idea."

**2. Prior **

Sometimes she reminisces about her early life, before the war. Hakoda had often gathered the entire around the fire late at night to recite legends that everyone had heard a thousand times before but never got tired of; tales of love, war, journey, and loss. Often, she had forgotten that they weren't all related by blood; they were the very definition of family to her.

Then she pauses to glance at her new family: Aang, with his silly boyish charm and his unconditional love for her; Sokka, who'd been there for her since the beginning and always would be; Toph, whom she'd had such a rough start with but now considered her best friend; Zuko, an enemy-turned-ally who would have given his life for her; Suki, who as far as she was concerned was already a sister; and Mai, who'd loved so deeply that it had given her the courage to abandon all she'd ever believed in in order to help them...and she thinks, smiling, that she wouldn't go back to the old days for the world.

**3.**** Dog **

"Sokka, you did _not_ bring home a labrador-bear puppy."

"But he's so cute, isn't he? I mean, he was just sitting in the pet shop window looking at me with those big brown eyes and they were saying 'Take me home, Sokka'..."

"But what are we going to _feed_ him? You know how big they grow!"

"...Seal jerky?"

"I love you, but you're an idiot sometimes, you know that?"

"I thought we could name him after your dad. Suki, say hello to Akira!"

"...You're on walking duty. Permanently."

**4. Bean **

"Are you sure you want to try? I mean, I've attempted to cook before and it didn't work out very well..."

"Nonsense, everyone can cook if they just put their mind to it! Cooking is fun! Anyway, with the appetite my brother has, you're going to need to know how to make _something._"

"If you're sure..."

"Of course! Now, today our lesson will be slicing and dicing. You need to make sure to get a knife with a good edge on it, but not so much you're in danger of cutting yourself. Here's a good one. Go and get some lychi nuts out of the cupboard so I can show you the best way to do it."

"... Katara, there aren't any lychi nuts in here."

"What? I just bought some from the market yesterday! And I made sure to hide them so no one would steal any this time!"

"Well, I think someone found them."

"MOMO!"

**5.**** Brush **

Her hair is long, dark and shiny. It was one of the first things he'd noticed about her; in fact, he'd wondered how girls dealt with having so much hair. As far as he was concerned, hair was a nuisance, something brushing against the back of your neck whenever you walked, or ran, or _moved._ Cutting off that darned ponytail when he and Uncle had been on the run in the Earth Kingdom had been the culmination of his lifelong hatred for his hair.

But her hair...that was a very different story. Whether he was running his hand through it or feeling it brush against his chest first thing in the morning or watching her pin it up in its impossible buns in the morning, her hair was one of his favorite things about her, and it always had been.

**6.**** Eighth **

"Katara, are you okay? You've been really quiet today."

"I'm fine, just...thinking."

"About what?"

"Lots of things, I guess. Our lives, the war, the way the world is now, my mother..."

"Are you sure you're okay? Why are you crying?!"

"I...I'm not crying..."

"Yeah, you are. What's wrong, baby?"

"I...I just really wish Mom were here right now. I need to talk to her."

"About what?"

"I'm scared, Aang. Excited, but scared too."

"Of what?! Katara, what's going on? You aren't sick, are you? I'll go get the healer..."

"No, Aang, don't. I'm not sick, I promise."

"Then what _is _wrong?"

"Aang...what would you think about adding another member to our family?"

"..."

"Katara, is everything okay? I heard Aang shouting and...why's he lying on the floor?"

**7. Cheer **

"I don't understand why we're here."

"Sokka said he wanted to go to Earth Rumble VI for his birthday, and he was so excited about it I couldn't say no."

"No, I get why _you're _here. He's your testosterone-ridden, idiot husband. I just don't get why _Katara and I_ are here."

"Because...you guys are my best friends?"

"Suki, don't give me that look. I know you're all about being supportive, but honestly, this is a little ridiculous. Especially since the Oaf is over there screaming like a two-year-old."

"GO! FIGHT! KILL! WIN!"

"Sorry, Mai. I promise I'll teach you Kyoshi techniques afterwards to make up for it."

**8. Dispute **

"Mai should've won! She captured more than half of Suki's tiles!"

"But not before _Suki _captured Mai's Fire Lord crown tile!"

"That's only half the game!"

"You wanna settle this outside, Sparky?"

"Don't talk to your Fire Lord that way! And yeah, bring it on!"

"Mai, do you ever wish you'd married someone less...high strung?"

"On average, about once a day. And it's not like your husband is Mr. Perfect either, you know."

**9.**** Executing **

"Okay, here's the plan, kiddies. We infiltrate the enemy's ship and make off with their booty!"

"Their _what?_"

"C'mon kid, work with me here. I mean those fruit tarts Cook is making. We're pirates, remember? Yarrrrrr!"

"Oh, right! YARRRRR!"

"Ssh, not that loud! You'll give us away!"

"Sorry."

"Now, Kazu, you create a distraction while Kya and Hayoda steal the fruit tarts."

"Why do _I _have to do it? Can't Gyatso?"

"We must all play our parts if there is to be peace and harmony."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Fine."

"Aunt Toph, are you sure we won't be caught?"

"Nonsense! I'm on good terms with Cook anyway, we'll be fine."

"I don't think _anyone _is on good terms with Cook..."

"WHAT IS THIS? GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN, YOU LITTLE RUFFIAN!"

"That's the signal, go!"

"Where are they going?"

"Quiet, Twinkletoes, we're pirates and we're raiding the enemy's..._Twinkletoes?!"_

"Oh, monkey feathers..."

"Yue, don't swear! Uh...hi, Uncle Aang, what brings you here?"

**10. Horror **

"...and it's said that you can still hear her screaming, if you stand in just the right spot at the edge of the Kyoshi forest."

"Ugh, Suki, that's disgusting!"

"Well, you said you wanted a ghost story for the campfire, so I made one up."

"I guess you should tone it down a little next time, hon. Some of us aren't as brave as others, y'know?"

"I notice _you _spent most of the story clinging onto Suki's arm. And is that sweat I see on your forehead?"

"No! Well, yes, but...that's from the fire! I'm sitting too close, okay?"

"Uh huh. Aang? Aang, it's just a story, you can relax now. Aang?"

**11. Waste **

"Sokka, I think we were only supposed to make half this many dumplings."

"What? Nonsense! You can never have too many dumplings!"

"But if we've made too much, that's a big waste of dough."

"Who says?"

"...Oh. Riiiiiight."

**12. Surprise **

"I'm still not sure this is going to work. I mean, Toph's got ears like a rabaroo, aside from her earthbending sight."

"Oh, c'mon, Katara, she'll never see it coming! And how else are we supposed to celebrate her sixteenth birthday?"

"...Maybe..."

"Mai, you're sure she's not anywhere around?"

"I checked three times, Suki, she's nowhere to be seen."

"Okay, let's put it down right over here..."

"OW, that was my foot!"

"Sorry! This is really heavy!"

"For a Kyoshi Warrior, you really don't have much upper body strength."

"Thanks a lot!"

"You know, you guys are really lousy at keeping quiet. I could hear you from a mile away."

"Toph?!"

"Next time _you _can be the lookout, Suki."

**13.**** Flesh **

"...Wow."

"What?"

"Uh, nothing, it's just...you look really...feminine."

"What kind of compliment is _that _for your girlfriend?!"

"Calm down, Katara, from him that's practically poetry."

**14.**** Wont **

Every year on this day the two siblings found their way back to this spot. No matter what else was going on in their lives, no matter where they were in the world, they were always there for this. It was a day just for them; a day of memories silent and spoken, of tears shed and embraces shared. Their father was there as well, and tehir grandmother, and together the little family stood at the pool and remembered Kya: daughter, wife, mother, and heroine.

**15.**** Prize **

"It's a girl!"

"YES! I was right! Pay up, Sparky!"

"I shouldn't have to, I'm the Fire Lord!"

"Yeah, well, _I'm _the King of Omashu and I could kick your butt without even trying. So fork it over already."

"Remind me not to let you make bets regarding any of our friends' offspring again."

**16. Prerequisite **

"How did this happen again?"

"Bumi thought Toph was the best person to replace him since she's the inventor of metalbending, and since he's disappeared and there aren't any other options..."

"Great Agni, and I thought the crazy old geezer was bad news..."

"Hey, guys, check this out! I can make my own crown!"

**17. Toast **

"I swear to drunk I'm not Agni, ociffer..."

"I propozzzzze a toast to our great ruler, Fire Lord Zzzoooooko, an' may you live long an' be a ninja ferever."

"Heh, Sokka, are you seeing all those pretty stars on th' ceiling or is it just me?"

"Stars are pretty, I wanna kiss one..."

"You know, I once kissed the moon...she tasted like vanilla..."

"This 's the best batchelor party ever. I wish it could just go on fevever...."

**18.**** Infringement **

"Hey, Zuko, look, they've got masks of your face for sale!"

"What?! But the scar's on the wrong side!"

"Other than that, though, it's not too bad a likeness..."

"Stop laughing, Toph, it's not funny!"

"Oh yes, it is!"

**19.**** Laugh **

"See, I got a chuckle out of you there!"

"You imagined it. I don't understand this obsession with making me laugh."

"I've just never seen you laugh before. I've barely seen you _smile. _What gives?"

"I'm just not the laughing type, okay?"

"_Everyone _is the laughing type. Even your boyfriend has laughed at one of my jokes, and he told me himself he's never happy! How about this one: an ostrich-horse walks into a bar and the bartender says 'Hey, fella, why the long face?'"

"Why would an ostrich-horse be in a bar? That's a pretty stupid joke."

"Just roll with it, okay? Ooh, I got one I know you'll love! Okay, so there's this guy that goes to the therapist and says 'Doc, I gotta problem, all I can think about is teepees and wigwams.' And so the therapist says, 'You're just _too tense!_" Get it, two tents?"

"...you're an idiot and your wife is lucky I put up with you."

**20. Point **

"Hey, look, there's a saber-tooth moose-lion!"

"Where?!"

"Made you look!"

"Toph, be serious! We're supposed to be looking for herbs out here, and Katara said to bring you because you can tell where the best soil is for things to grow in. Now help me look or go back to camp."

"Fine, no need to get your underpants in a twist. ... Hey, I think I see a platypus bear over there!"

"Where?!"

"Made you look!"

* * *

3: Akira is in no way, shape or form Suki's father's name according to canon. I had to just make it up. Also, the labrador-bear is a tribute to Bryan Konietzko, who said in an interview that he wanted to have one on the show but it just didn't happen.  
6. If you figured out what the title has to do with the dialogue already, good for you. If not, well...Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Mai, Zuko, Toph. Seven Gaang members. You take it from there.  
7. I had to estimate how many Earth Rumbles there would've been, so Sokka would be about 21 here, I guess.  
8. There exists a picture of Zuko and Sokka arguing over Pai Sho while their girls roll their eyes, and it was the first thing I thought of when I got that word. Thanks to the artist for inspiring me and I hope you don't feel as if I'm copying you, because I don't mean to.  
9. Yes, these are Gaang kids! I'm operating under the assumption that because they're just one big family anyway, all the adults are "Aunt" and "Uncle" even if they aren't related by blood. The kids are, in order of birth: Kazu (12, Maiko), Kya (11, Kataang), Yue (11, Sukka), Ursa (11, Maiko), Hayoda (9, Sukka), and Gyatso (7, Kataang). The order in which they're speaking goes Hayoda (thrice), Kazu, Gyatso, Kazu, Kya, Ursa, Yue, are several more kids in my personal canon, but they're younger and didn't seem to fit in with this particular snippet.  
12. Also, in my personal canon, the girls are all very close-knit and have formed their own little "girl's club".  
13. I can't take credit for this particular Zuko-ism. It was invented by my Anti buddy singerinwhite at the Twilight Sucks forums. Also, it's Zuko talking to Mai, not Katara - sorry, Zutarians.  
15/16: I find the idea of Toph becoming King of Omashu absolutely hilarious. singerinwhite suggested she become King of Ba Sing Se, but we agreed all the formalities and red tape would drive her bananas and that Omashu was much more suited to her. And so, King Toph was born. (In #15, the baby is Kya, by the way.)  
17. Supposed to be Zuko's bachelor party. And if they don't have bachelor parties in the Fire Nation, well...they do now!  
19. The idea of Sokka being absolutely fascinated with Mai (not in a sexual way) also amuses me. After all, a comedian likes nothing more than to get a laugh out of a stoic, right?


End file.
